Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who has produced a Sikkimese film, came under attack after calling the hill state insurgency-troubled. She has apologized to the Sikkim government, which wants another apology in more “clear-cut terms”.

Netizens on Thursday slammed and trolled Priyanka for being “politically illiterate” after she spoke of Sikkim in an interview, on the sidelines of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She was discussing ‘Pahuna: The Little Visitors’, her Sikkimese production which premiered at the gala.

Sikkim Tourism Secretary C. Zangpo Bhutia said: “We have received an apology note from Priyanka Chopra for her comments, where she has written ‘I tender an apology’. But we are not satisfied. We have asked her to send us another letter in more clear-cut terms.”

Asked what the Sikkim government felt about Priyanka’s comments, he said: “Whatever she said is totally unacceptable. This has tarnished the image of our state. So we asked her to take back her statement and apologize to us. But as we are not satisfied with her first letter. We are waiting for a fresh note from her.”

Priyanka, who now divides her time in the US and India, is yet to issue an official statement.

Her film ‘Pahuna…’ is about three Nepalese children who get separated from their parents, escape the Maoists in Nepal and flee to Sikkim.

Talking about the movie, Priyanka said: “This is a Sikkimese film. Sikkim is a small state in the northeast of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from there. And this is the first film ever that’s come out of that region because it’s very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations.”

This remark was widely slammed.

Directed by first-timer Paakhi A. Tyrewala, the ‘Pahuna…’ was launched as an association between Priyanka and her mother Madhu Chopra’s banner Purple Pebble Pictures and Ministry of Tourism Sikkim.

The National Award winning actress, a former Miss World, is a known face globally courtesy American television show ‘Quantico’.

The Indian Army could soon get a new ally to counter stone-pelting and Militant attacks in the Kashmir Valley: Robots.

A report in Greater Kashmir has stated that robotic weapons could be introduced by the Defence Ministry which will help security forces in counter-insurgency as well as counter-terror operations. This move might be taken in order to reduce the number of injuries the soldiers suffer when faced with armed militants or even stone-pelting protesters.

An army proposal, projecting a requirement of 544 robots, has been approved by the defence ministry, according to reports.

For the past eight months, CAIR, a DRDO lab leading India’s research in artificial intelligence, has been working on this project. This will equip India’s armed forces with a host of robots that can work as a team in collaboration, TOI had reported earlier this year.

These robots are being built keeping in mind the current military scenario which demands operations in different conditions—environmental and terrain. Besides, the robots will also be able to work in indoor conditions, enabling deployment at various key establishments.

Four people were killed on Friday when their taxi fell into a gorge near Puneja village of Chiralla tehsil in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Reports said the taxi, bearing registration number JK02-AR-8358, was on its way from Pul Doda to Chirala when it skidded off the road and fell into a 150-ft deep gorge.

Thirteen persons, including the driver, were on board when the accident took place.

The injured were shifted to District Hospital Doda by locals and traffic policemen where doctors declared four of them as dead on arrival, said DySP DAR Doda Nazir Ahmad Ganai.

The deceased were identified as Mohd Yousaf Khan (80), son of Wali Khan, resident of Sunar Thawaha; Om Prakash (30), son of Vidya Lal, resident of Bankhan Thawaha; Fazal Din, son of Roshan Din, resident of Jandani and Punjab Singh, son of Khazan Chand, resident of Bonjwah.

Defence sources said that a CRPF personnel was injured in the attack. According to sources the soldier got hit in his thigh and his condition is stable.

While claiming the responsibility of the attack on Indian security forces at Nowgam Srinagar, LeT spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi in a statement to local news agency CNS said, ‘Mujahideen of Lashkar-e-Toiba attacked an Army convoy at Nowgam and the Army has suffered many casualities’.

Hizb-ul-Mujahideen today paid tributes to a slain militant and civilian who were killed during an encounter that raged between forces and militants in Kanelwan area of Bijbehara in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

“Taking to streets for the militants is demonstrating their affection towards their heros,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hizb’s deputy chief, Saif-ul-llah Khalid and Hizb field operational commander, Mehmood Ghaznavi according to the statement also paid tributes to a militant Yawar Ahmad Wani and a civilian Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Bhat.

They said that the mission of militants will be taken to the logical conclusion. (KNS)

An encounter started between Militants and the Government Forces in Kanelwan area of Anantnag district today evening.Sources said that Soldiers of 3 RR and SOG cordoned off Karel area of Kanelwan today evening after receiving inputs about the presence of 2 to three militants in the area, As the forces zeroed in , the hiding militants fired on them leading to an encounter.

Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant outfit has claimed the responsibility of Shopian attack in which two army men including a Major were killed and another soldier seriously injured.

Burhanuddin, a spokesperson of the outfit, told news agency CNS that the attack was carried out near Zaipora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

“The valiant militants of our outfit laid an ambush and attacked an army party from all sides. Five Indian soldiers were killed and many others were injured. The militants managed to reach at their destinations safely after the daring attack,” he said.

He said that Hizb commander Mehmood Ghaznavi has decided to reward the militants for carrying out the attack.